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第17章 最后一只迷羊thetryfayellwdgwully2（第1页）

asvexedtotheinmostrecessesofhistinysoul。Hestaredstuidlyafterthesheeforhalfaminute，thengavetheorder，“Wully，fetchthemin。”Afterthismentalefforthesatdown，lithisie，andtakingouthisknittingbeganworkonahalf-finishedsock。

ToWullythevoiceofRobinwasthevoiceofGod。Awayheranin374differentdirections，andheadedoffandroundeduthe374differentwanderers，andbroughtthembacktotheferry-housebeforeRobin，whowasstolidlywatchingtherocess，hadtoedoffhissock。

FinallyWully—notRobin—gavethesignthatallwerein。Theoldsheherdroceededtocountthem—370，371，372，373。

“Wully，”hesaidreroachfully，“tharno‘a’here。Thur’sanither。”AndWully，stungwithshame，boundedofftoscourthewholecityforthemissingone。HewasnotlonggonewhenasmallboyointedouttoRobinthatthesheewereallthere，thewhole374。NowRobinwasinaquandary。HisorderwastohastenontoYorkshire，andyetheknewthatWully’sridewouldreventhiscomingbackwithoutanothershee，evenifhehadtostealit。Suchthingshadhaenedbefore，andresultedinembarrassingcomlications。WhatshouldhedoTherewasfiveshillingsaweekatstake。Wullywasagooddog，itwasaitytolosehim，butthen，hisordersfromthemaster;andagain，ifWullystoleanextrasheetomakeuthenumber，thenwhat—inaforeignlandtooHedecidedtoabandonWully，andushonalonewiththeshee。Andhowhefarednooneknowsorcares。

Meanwhile，Wullycareeredthroughmilesofstreetshuntinginvainforhislostshee。Alldayhesearched，andatnight，famishedandwornout，hesneakedshamefacedlybacktotheferry，onlytofindthatmasterandsheehadgone。Hissorrowwasitifultosee。Heranaboutwhimering，thentooktheferryboatacrosstotheotherside，andsearchedeverywhereforRobin。HereturnedtoSouthShieldsandsearchedthere，andsenttherestofthenightseekingforhiswretchedidol。Thenextdayhecontinuedhissearch，hecrossedandrecrossedtherivermanytimes。Hewatchedandsmelteveryonethatcameover，andwithsignificantshrewdnesshesoughtunceasinglyintheneighboringtavernsforhismaster。Thenextdayhesettoworksystematicallytosmelleveryonethatmightcrosstheferry。

Theferrymakesfiftytrisaday，withanaverageofonehundredersonsatri，yetneveroncedidWullyfailtobeonthegang-lankandsmelleveryairoflegsthatcrossed—5，000airs，10，000legsthatdaydidWullyexamineafterhisownfashion。Andthenextday，andthenext，andalltheweekhekethisost，andseemedindifferenttofeedinghimself。Soonstarvationandworrybegantotellonhim。Hegrewthinandill-temered。Noonecouldtouchhim，andanyattemttointerferewithhisdailyoccuationofleg-smellingrousedhimtodeseration。

Dayafterday，weekafterweekWullywatchedandwaitedforhismaster，whonevercame。TheferrymenlearnedtoresectWully’sfidelity。Atfirsthescornedtheirrofferedfoodandshelter，andlivednooneknewhow，butstarvedtoitatlast，heaccetedthegiftsandlearnedtotoleratethegivers。Althoughembitteredagainsttheworld，hisheartwastruetohisworthlessmaster。

FourteenmonthsafterwardImadehisacquaintance。Hewasstillonrigiddutyathisost。Hehadregainedhisgoodlooks。Hisbright，keenfacesetoffbyhiswhiteruffandrickedearsmadeadogtocatchtheeyeanywhere。Buthegavemenosecondglance，oncehefoundmylegswerenotthosehesought，andinsiteofmyfriendlyoverturesduringthetenmonthsfollowingthathecontinuedhiswatch，Igotnofartherintohisconfidencethananyotherstranger。

Fortwowholeyearsdidthisdevotedcreatureattendthatferry。Therewasonlyonethingtoreventhimgoinghometothehills，notthedistancenorthechanceofgettinglost，buttheconvictionthatRobin，thegodlikeRobin，wishedhimtostaybytheferry;andhestayed。

Buthecrossedthewaterasoftenashefeltitwouldservehisurose。Thefareforadogwasoneenny，anditwascalculatedthatWullyowedthecomanyhundredsofoundsbeforehegaveuhisquest。Heneverfailedtosenseeveryairofnethersthatcrossedthegang-lank—6，000，000legsbycomutationhadbeenronounceduonbythisexert。Butalltonourose。Hisunswervingfidelityneverfaltered，thoughhistemerwasobviouslysouringunderthelongstrain。

WehadneverheardwhatbecameofRobin，butonedayasturdydroverstrodedowntheferry-sliandWullymechanicallyassayingthenewersonality，suddenlystarted，hismanebristled，hetrembled，alowgrowlescaedhim，andhefixedhiseverysenseonthedrover。

Oneoftheferryhandsnotunderstanding，calledtothestranger，“Heybuddy，don’thurtthatdog。”

“It’shimwhohurtme。”Butfurtherexlanationwasnotnecessary。Wully’smannerhadwhollychanged。Hefawnedonthedrover，andhistailwaswaggingviolentlyforthefirsttimeinyears。

Afewwordsmadeitallclear。Dorley，thedrover，hadknownRobinverywell，andthemittensandcomforterheworewereofRobin’sownmakeandhadoncebeenartofhiswardrobe。Wullyrecognizedthetracesofhismaster，anddesairingofanyneareraroachtohislostidol，heabandonedhisostattheferryandlainlyannouncedhisintentionofstickingtotheownerofthemittens，andDorleywaswellleasedtotakeWullyalongtohishomeamongthehillsofDerbyshire，wherehebecameoncemoreashee-doginchargeofaflock。